<p>My DS is accepted by 3 schools. Now he has narrowed his choice to Westminster and EHS. He loves science and soccer. Any advice or suggestion is much welcome. Thanks. </p>
<p>Why did Loomis get ruled out? What is he looking for in a school?</p>
<p>IMO, I would pick Loomis over the other two, but that is my bias.</p>
<p>I think Episcopal is very exciting, having all the opportunities of Washington D.C. right in front to you. And there is the possibility of D.C. internships. Episcopal is the top-dog boarding school in the South. </p>
<p>The parent i170sband has a number of very informative threads and posts on Episcopal-- do a SEARCH.</p>
<p>From my understanding of the two schools, Episcopal and Loomis are pretty much equal academically, but Loomis has a lower admit rate because it’s located in the heart of boarding school country, whereas there’s less of a tradition of it in the Mid-atlantic states, where EHS is. Hence fewer applications, hence some CC belief that it’s “not as good.”<br>
Count me as another long-term advocate for Episcopal thanks to the stories of my friends who work there. They’re always casually talking about going to plays at the Kennedy Center on weekends, the whole school goes to the Inauguration every 4 years, and yes, the seniors do get to do internships in D.C. I love me my cow country, but their combination of beautiful tree-filled campus 10 minutes from D.C. seems pretty nice.</p>
<p>First congratulations to your DS for acceptance into these three wonderful schools. Good luck with your revisit day trip.</p>
<p>While I am not very familiar with Westminster, CT, my DS is an EHS freshman. His experience over the last six months has been transformative beyond words. </p>
<p>I reviewed the information presented on the Westminster, CT website and found the following important differences:</p>
<pre><code> EHS / Westminster
</code></pre>
<p>Boarding: 100% / 68%
Saturday classes: No / yes
Laptop: School issued-windows only / Mac preferred
Honor Code: Yes, revered, one of the oldest / Not listed on website
German Language: Yes / No
Greek 1 Yes / No
Senior Internship Yes–in DC / Not listed on website
Hockey: No / Yes
Swimming/Diving: No / Yes</p>
<p>If any of the information about Westminster is incorrect, please correct me. :-)</p>
<p>In regards to your DS’s passion for soccer, it appears both schools have competitive programs. Some EHS graduates go on to play D1-D3 soccer. Most recently Schillo Tshuma ’12 was drafted #17 by the Portland Timbers. Although his selection is not to imply that all EHS players will go on to professional careers, it is reflective of a soccer program that does attract players who are committed and competitive. Here is a link to a video about the soccer program:
<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/athletics/maroon-and-black/boys-soccer/index.aspx”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/athletics/maroon-and-black/boys-soccer/index.aspx</a></p>
<p>Ironically, the current varsity coach of EHS is a Westminster, CT grad. Here is a link his bio:
<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/news/detail.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=3429&ModuleID=231”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/news/detail.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=3429&ModuleID=231</a></p>
<p>There are three boy’s soccer teams, varsity, jv, and junior. Most freshman boys play on the junior or jv team. There was one freshman who played varsity this past fall. My DS does not play soccer. However his roommate played junior and loved it.</p>
<p>Episcopal’s athletic facilities rank among the finest of any high school in the mid-Atlantic region. Besides the turf soccer fields, make sure you visit Centennial Gymnasium. </p>
<p>Like your DS, my DS loves science. He has very much enjoyed his Physics class and is looking forward to Chemistry. Like many boarding schools, EHS offers excellent learning opportunities housed in a magnificent new building. The Baker Science Center was built in 2005, is LEED-certified green, and offers state-of-art classrooms and laboratories.</p>
<p>Here is a link to EHS’ Science curriculum. Like most boarding schools, freshman take Physics, then Chemistry and finally Biology.
<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/academics/curriculum.aspx?pageaction=ItemView&linkid=4”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/academics/curriculum.aspx?pageaction=ItemView&linkid=4</a></p>
<p>Based upon my review of the Westminster Science program, it appears that EHS offers a few more classes, including Engineering, Ecology, Biotechnology/Forensics, and Human Genetics, all of which would be junior or senior electives.</p>
<p>Here are links to videos that discuss the Baker Science Center and science program:
<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/about_ehs/ehs-experience/state-of-the-art-science/index.aspx”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/about_ehs/ehs-experience/state-of-the-art-science/index.aspx</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/about_ehs/ehs-experience/science/index.aspx”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/about_ehs/ehs-experience/science/index.aspx</a></p>
<p>While there are many similarities between EHS and Westminster, I believe there are distinct differences that make EHS more attractive for certain applicants. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>100% Boarding : The intensity of community is amplified by a 100% boarding environment. EHS is a very close-knit village of students and faculty. This close relationship makes EHS very different from other schools. With 1/3 day students at Westminster, the student experience is different.</p></li>
<li><p>Amazing Faculty: 85% live on campus. 85% have advanced degrees. Teachers come, but generally prefer to not leave. DS’s History teacher has been at EHS for 35 years, Math teacher has been there 20+ years. Headmaster has been there over 16 years. As a whole, the EHS faculty is very caring and dedicated to the students and love “The High School.”</p></li>
<li><p>Proximity to DC: Since EHS is 10 minutes away from the nation’s capital, DC acts as a second classroom. My DS loved the idea of his school being in a urban setting and not in the middle of nowhere. DS believes this is the major advantage of EHS. The Washington Program offers Wednesday tours and augments learning in all the major academic classes, not to mention the access to cultural immersion. Recently the school choir participated in Choral Eversong at the National Cathedral. Honors Government meets with a Supreme Court Justice every other year. I cannot underscore the value of these tours and how they add to the learning experience at EHS. Here is a link to recent tours. <a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/academics/washington_program/recent_tours/index.aspx”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/academics/washington_program/recent_tours/index.aspx</a></p></li>
<li><p>Washington Seminar: Seniors end class work in late April of their senior year. During the final three to four weeks of school, students are excused from regular classes to work daily in a field of particular interest to them. Imagine working for Smithsonian, your Senator, CIA, FBI, etc. before graduation? Simply amazing opportunity. Here is a list of past internships:
<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/academics/washington_program/seniorseminar/index.aspx”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/academics/washington_program/seniorseminar/index.aspx</a></p></li>
<li><p>College Counseling: 87% of 2013 graduates went to their first or second choice university/college. The counseling office is doing something right.</p></li>
<li><p>Honor Code: Taken very seriously and one of the oldest high school honor codes in the country. “I will not lie, I will not cheat, I will not steal. I will report the student who does.” From the school’s website: “The school’s deep commitment to the Honor Code creates an atmosphere of trust and respect that frees students to intellectual, spiritual, and creative journeys without distractions.” Amen. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Good luck with your decision. Either way, your DS will have an amazing experience. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.</p>
<p>@i70sband, I really wanted my son to apply to EHS, but he was put off by the chapel requirement. How onerous does that feel to your son?</p>
<p>@twinsmama, Not at all. DS very much enjoys the services. However, I can appreciate how a young teen would be turned off by required chapel. </p>
<p>A little background. We periodically attend an Episcopal church at home. Prior to EHS, DS was an acolyte. Thus he is familiar with the Episcopalian routine. Despite being a young teen, he enjoys attending church at home. Later morning service of course. :-)</p>
<p>With that said, EHS required chapel service is not like service at home. It is very different. First it is not as long. Second, EHS service centers around a message of the day. Third some of the services are student led. </p>
<p>Chapel is one DS’s more favorite times/days of the week. Although DS has many friends who are not spiritually inclined, they agree. Chapel is safe, a break from the stress of boarding school life, and they usually leave service feeling better than when they came in. It’s not a place of religious indoctrination. It is the spiritual center of campus where students struggle with the larger questions and meanings of life. It’s where the community gathers to celebrate, as well as, struggle with not so good news. And there has been some not so good news this year. It’s where they are exposed to other faiths.</p>
<p>Although the school is rooted in the Judeo-Christian teachings, they regularly invite speakers from a variety of faiths to expose the student body to alternative views. One of the recent Theologians in Residence (week long stay at EHS) was seven Tibetan Buddhist Monks from Drepung Gomang Monastic College. For many students, thanks to required chapel, this may be their once and only exposure to the Buddhist faith. </p>
<p>Other than an 1x/vespers-church/mth, the required chapel is approximately 30 minutes long. Monday mid day service is “Monday Meditation.” It is prayer based. For those less interested in faith, this might be the service where they doze off. Thursday’s are led by one of the Chaplain’s and are usually a thought or message of the day. Friday’s are student led and include student performances and stories of challenge/inspiration. Sunday evening is a voluntary service and according to DS, on average only 15-20 students attend. </p>
<p>I’ve watched many of the chapel services via live internet feed and I am always impressed by the broader consistent message; four years at boarding school is much more than academics, it’s about building character and challenging yourself to question your role in the greater world. With that said, I’m not sure required chapel would have appealed to me when I was a young teen. </p>
<p>Thanks so much, @i70sband! That sounds lovely, and I may encourage both my children to apply there if we do this next year. My daughter loved St. Andrew’s for its “meaningfulness,” so I think EHS might appeal to her as well. I suggested it to my son because of his interest in history and government.</p>
<p>You are welcome @twinsmama! DS son was very late in the application process and wanted to apply to SAS. Could not. SAS has an amazing school/faculty/student body and will be on DD’s list next year. </p>
<p>The teachers, especially history teachers, at EHS really embrace DC to enhance the academic learning in their classrooms. Can you imagine Honors Government class studying the Bill of Rights and then meeting with Justice Thomas to discuss the first amendment? Or you are studying WWII and you visit the Holocaust Museum? Yes, these are just a few of the past EHS “field trips.” I love the study of history and am amazed at the learning opportunity EHS provides its students as a result of its proximity to DC.</p>
<p>EHS chapel meets 3 days a week and is 15 minutes long, according to my friends who work there. </p>
<p>@albion Thanks for the correction. I checked my son’s schedule and indeed it is only 15 minutes/3x/week. </p>
<p>Thank you for all the advice. Finally DS decided to go to EHS because of 100% boarding and Washington DC as second classroom. It is a difficult decision for him as he loves both schools. Thanks.</p>
<p>I really loved EHS on revisit day, but I felt like I got semi-bad vibes and that some of the girls there seem kind of bitchy… does anyone have any opinions on the people/clique-iness of the school?</p>
<p>@Stylus - Congratulations to your DS. Like your DS, my DS choose EHS for the same reasons. He could not be happier. This past Wednesday his Physics class visited the Air and Space Museum. Their are studying gravity and the teacher wanted to use this museum to further explain the topic. He loved the tour and is now “out of this world” crazy about studying space. </p>
<p>@skelly12 - I am glad you loved EHS on revisit day. My DS has indicated that EHS, while not clique free, is socially very well integrated. He has forged many new relationships. When we dropped him off in September, he looked like a “deer in the headlights” and did not know a soul. However after EHS’s Burch Trip (5 day Appalachian Trail Hike for all freshman), he was well on his way to making both boy and girl friends. He has told me that since the school is 100% boarding, has students from most corners of the US/world, the overriding consensus is “they are in it together.” Further because you are constantly meeting new students via rotating meals, athletic teams, DC tours, on campus events, etc., cliques are few. He has made more meaningful friendships with both boys and girls from ALL grades in 7 months than his middle school years. We live in New England. His opinion is the students at EHS are friendlier than his local high school. He attribute this friendliness to the large Southern student population.</p>
<p>At the beginning of the year, he was somewhat critical of girls at EHS. Something about their dorms being nicer, they were loud, got special privileges, yaddi yadda. With their annual Spring formal dance coming up, his tune has changed. :-)</p>
<p>My best insight is while cliques probably exist at EHS, they are not noticeable and probably will not survive over four years. Students do forge friendships and “hang” with their pod of friends. Not unique to EHS. Based upon my time on campus and looking at pics/videos, reading the school paper and blogs, and advisor interactions this is a very tight knit community that is proud of their support of for one another. Further, chapel 3x/week does help to foster this sense of community. I do not want to sound pollyanna, EHS is not perfect. However, the size of the school and 100% boarding do cause the 120 students to collectively bond over their four years, with or without cliques. </p>
<p>A few thoughts for Skelly12:</p>
<p>– EHS isn’t for everyone. This year’s sophomore class, for example, has already lost about 10% of its original members through transfer or expulsion. Several students left before Christmas of their freshman year, realizing early on that the school wasn’t right for them.</p>
<p>– To its credit, EHS has a “one-strike” policy and is quick to expel students caught with drugs/alcohol, who are caught cheating, etc. Students learn early to respect the rules.</p>
<p>– Legacy is very important at EHS. You will find many, many sibling and/or cousin combos currently at the school. There are also faculty kids and children/grandchildren of EHS alums. Legacy students have a built-in support system that is tremendously helpful for them; however, that can be intimidating to students who do not have such a support system.</p>
<p>– There is a review about EHS posted on <a href=“http://www.greatschools.org”>www.greatschools.org</a> which says: “Do not send a boy or girl here who needs any sort of academic or social support. It is a social hot box in which the highest heels reign.” This is absolutely true.</p>
<p>– Teachers and staff members tend to be more liberal than students. </p>
<p>– About going into D.C. on Wednesday afternoons: Not everyone goes every week. Often classes are left back at school to watch films. Having proximity to D.C. allows for great field trips, but I wouldn’t go so far as to call the city a “second classroom.”</p>
<p>^ True statement about the importance of legacies. Approximately 1/3 of the new students admitted last year were legacies. This factor is partial confirmation that legacy families are happy with the school. Here is a source link to the EHS Fall Magazine (p 16). </p>
<p><a href=“Episcopal High School Magazine Fall 2013 by Episcopal High School - Issuu”>Episcopal High School Magazine Fall 2013 by Episcopal High School - Issuu;
<p>However the above poster’s self described “built in support system” did not help two multi-generational legacy students who were asked to leave this year. While I understand how upset some students were about this news, I was content to hear that regardless of your family history, you would not receive special treatment for school violations. And DS picked up on this point very quickly.</p>
<p>@skelly12 Here are links to all reviews at Great Schools and BSR. I remember reading the above referenced GS review and one other that criticized EHS. Despite the many positive reviews, I was concerned. We did more research and concluded it was not specific to EHS. I’m glad DS did not base his decision on these reviews. YMMV.</p>
<p><a href=“Episcopal High School - Alexandria, Virginia - VA | GreatSchools”>Episcopal High School - Alexandria, Virginia - VA | GreatSchools;
<a href=“Episcopal High School - Student Review #4”>Episcopal High School - Student Review #4;
<p>Finally here some links to the Washington Tour Program which EHS describes as an opportunity to “augment learning in all the major academic disciplines.” Some EHS teachers do describe DC as their “second classroom.” While I agree, this description is a matter of opinion. You decide.</p>
<p><a href=“Episcopal High School | The Washington Program”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/academics/washington_program/index.aspx</a>
<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/academics/washington_program/recent_tours/index.aspx”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/academics/washington_program/recent_tours/index.aspx</a>
<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/about_ehs/ehs-experience/academics-and-washington-dc/index.aspx”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/about_ehs/ehs-experience/academics-and-washington-dc/index.aspx</a></p>